Letter box



27a 394-7. w. F. Roja-HE LETTER BOX l Filed Aug. 2, 1946 @zum PatentedMay 27, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE i 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in letter boxes and moreparticularly to a novel guide adapted to be installed in letter boxes,such as are used by the Post Office Department for the deposit andcollection of mail from the street.

Heretofore street letter boxes for post oice deposit and collectionservice are designed, so that the mail deposited therein rests where itdrops onto the bottom of the box in scattered confusion. When thecollector opens the usual lower collection door of the box thisscattered mail must be scraped together by hand and then carried to themail truck. During this collection of mail and transport thereof to thetruck important letters frequently become lost. Accordingly there havebeen heretofore provided numerous replaceable auxiliary7 safetyreceptacles adapted to be attached within the mail box, so that themail, collector may reach in the box through the bottom door and removethe auxiliary container with the deposited mail therein for transfer tohis truck without danger of losing individual letters.

The removed container may then be replaced with another similar emptyone. However, all such prior arrangements for supporting thesecontainers in the mail box have been clumsy and difiicult to use, as thecontainers, if they be the usual mail bags, must be of a type quicklymounted in the box and released therefrom, while also the bags must beretained open at the mouth to catch the mail as it is dropped in thebox.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel mailbag support andguide for the interior of a standard mail box of the deposit andcollection type, whereby rapidity of installation of an empty mail bagin open position, and rapidity of removal of the i'llled or partially`filled mail bag from an open to a closed position is facilitated.

Another object is to provide novel guide and bag holding means forattachment to standard type deposit and collection street mail boxes,which novel means is adapted to be sold for installation as an articleof manufacture.

A further object is to provide novel locking recesses in the guide meansadapted to hold the mail bag in open position.

And still a further object is to provide a fiaring portion on theregular guide member for initially receiving and automatically directingthe frame of a mail bag into position in the box for holding the mouthof the bag open in the aforementioned locking recesses,

With these and other objects vin view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that Ido not intend to limit myself to the details of construction.

In the drawings like parts throughout the several views are given likenumerals and are thus identified in the following detailed description:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the novel bag guides and bag holdingmeans with the bag in place within the mail box, which is shown partlyin outline.

Figure 2 is a cross section view of the mail box showing one side of thebox.

Figure 3 is another embodiment of my invention showing a fragmentarycross section of the mail box and door and a side View of one of the bagguide members.

Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the bag and of the rod androller supports adapted to co-act with the guide members in the sides ofthe mail box.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a street-typestandard mail box Ill 'with the usual bottom hinged collection door II.Mounted on each side I2 and I3 of the box, so as to be visible at theupper part of the collection door` opening, are the novel bag guide andbagholding members of my invention.

One of these members I4 is attached as by braising or welding them tothe interior surface of side I2, and the other member I5 is similarlysecured or attached to the opposite side I3 of the box Ill. As each ofthe novel members I4 and I5 are made alike a description of one only isnecessary. For example, the member I4 comprises an elongated metalchannel I6 having at each end a locking means such as the wells orrecesses I1 and I8 respectively.

The top elongated surface of each member I4 and I5 slopes downwardly atI9 to shed mail if by chance it should drop thereon.

In this embodiment of my invention the ends of members I4 and I5 areflush against the front and back portions of the mail box, and thesupporting rods, hereinafter described of a mail bag 2l are arranged tobe directed into the channel I5 of the members I4 and I5 by a downwardlyinclined ramp 22. This ramp may be cut out intermediate the ends of eachmember as an integral part of the members and includes a short rollerpiloting tongue 24.

The mail bags 2| each are provided with a pair of cross rods 25 and 2lhaving rollers 2B journalled on each end. These rollers 28 are adaptedto coact with the piloting tongue 24 and ramp 22 upon insertion orpushing thereof against the ramp by the mail collector, to therebyautokthe Wells or recesses l1 and i8 at each end of the respectivemembers I4 and I5. Thus the mail bas,r l becomes set and held in openAposition to receive the mail as it is deposited in the mail box throughthe usual top letter drop openings, not

shown, at the top of the box.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention,wherein the ramp is eliminated and the front end of eaclrmemberllf andl5, respectively, is spaced` slightly' fr on the front Wall of the mailbox-a sil-flicierit distance to expose the flared mouth 39 defined bythe front recesses Il. Thisarrangement peirnits i'rlsertionof vthe'guide rollers 28 rintothe channel leg ofthe iiieinliers at tl'ieironiqi the Ainenileeis et' the frein: of dieper. Also in this embodiment inthelpositior'l" of the ramp Z `sho-wn in the rst "embodiment, l place alrecess al, which ls rnore yabove the interior bottom slllrfa'oes of thebox.

elevated the bag will drain ofi any moisture froil' ondefisa't'ii'- or`other. causes. Also', as s'h'ow'n in Figure 2 the bag may be perforatedin the bottom with brass rings 35 around the open'- ns'l Y Althoughonlyiwe embodiments of die inventi'on have been illustrated anddescribed in detail, is' to' b expressly understood that the inventionis i'lft `li'riite'd thereto. Various changesl may rbe -rlade' in thedesign and arrangement without de'- parting from the spirit and scope'of the inveil'- tion, asy will new likely cenni te others skilled inthe' art.V Forv a delintionlof the limits of the irlvfention, referenceshould be had to the appended claims.

What clal is: g l V l. Means' for gaining and holding e. mail ylingopenposltion within a mail box, comprising the combination of separablemeans attached to the open e'nd of the bag', guide channels secured toeach opposite interio'i`-- side wall ofA 'the mail linie ineensprojecting downwardly from. said 'guide channels "ehgagabl'e with thesaid separable means t'o direct the saine into the guide channels, saidchannels each having recesses defined at each elid and t'o .thereby lockthe said separable means apart to hold the bag open. 2`. Means for"guiding and holding a mail bag in tinenupnsltionwitliin a inail box,comprising the combination "of 'separable'lneans attached to theopenjend of th bag and guide `cl'l'ailrlels "sertlie'd Vto each`opposite interior side wall "of the inail box', said channels enenhaving an integrally struckfout ramp sloping downwardly therefrom toguide'the end's 'of said means pward i'nto the guide channel, and'recesses at 'e'ach end of 'each ciajll adapted to receive and hold theSep'- rfatd l ends of Vsaid means apart.

3. Ali/Ieaifi's for guiding and holding a 'mail bag in l`operi positionwithin a 'mail box, comprising 4 the combination of separable meansattached to the open end of the bag and guide channels secured to eachopposite interior side wall of the mail box, said channels each havingan integrally struck-out ramp sloping downwardly therefrom to guide theends of said means upward into the guide channel, a pilot member on theend of said ramp adapted to first contact with the ends of said means,and lock means at each end of each `channel to receive a separate partof said lirstnamed means.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the said separablemeans comprises a pair of rods secured to a front and back section ofthe rim of a' mail bag, and said rods each having a -roller jourl'alldoh each end.

5, In a mail box, a pair of guide channels for supporting a mail baghaving cross rods at the front and back, said gide channels comprisingtop and bottom porti-ons, said top portion being sloped inwardly fromtrie inner slide of the mail box, and' sale? bottoni portion having an:interme difate 'straight flat shtion leading into' a colin-ter sunsrecess at eaeli elicol eacli channel'.

6. a mail boina pair of guide channels Yfor supp' ng a mail havingcrossA rods at' the front andi basis, said guide channels comprising topand bottoni portions, said' top portion being sloped inwardly from theinner side of the mail bosgsalo Abottoni portion having an intermediatestraight flaesec'tion leading into a countersiinl: recess` at each ei-idof each channel; a gap init-erh insalatevr salariat section, and; ameansextending downwardly frbil the rear edge of the gap afdailit' edtodirect the ends of said cross `rods' upwardly into the guide shan-nels;

7.. In a mail bds, a pair or guide-channels for supporting a mail baghaving cross rods at the sont and back, said guide channels comprisingtop and bottoni portions,A said top` portion being sloped inwardly fromthe inner side of the inail box, and said bottom portion having anintermediate straight hat section leading into a countersi'iill recessat each. end of each channel, and a recess" intermediate 'the ends Yefsaid flat see-` tici-i` s.' In combination wit-'rfi guide channelsadapte eii to be inonntedeppcsite`ly` cn Yeach interior side of a inailbox, a pair of bagsupporting rods, said rods having on cachonda rolleradapted to engage in .Toneel thesaid channels, means formed from meA'channels ibi guiding the rollers, and formed in the channels 'forholding the gods-separated at the front and back of a mail Y9. Ariarticle of manillacture for the interior sides errnalooxescomprising anelongated secef instal, a channel refined said section to thereby dennefacing surfaces adapted when vlnsealle'd 'in a mail box to :be in upperand lower horizont-al planes; recesses at each end Yof the channel inthe lower of said surfaces, 'and' an inclined rneiilber'oiit ont of thelower siirface sloping downwardly therefrom.

